


Perchance to Dream

by perfututum



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 16:55:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24450184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perfututum/pseuds/perfututum
Summary: Roxas and Xion have volunteered to have their memories studied to help find Sora. Axel can't help but be concerned.
Relationships: Axel/Roxas (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	Perchance to Dream

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Xyzcl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xyzcl/gifts).



> For the akuroku mini exchange! I hope you like it, Leon!

“Absolutely not.”

Even raised an eyebrow. “I’m afraid I wasn’t asking. Roxas and Xion have both agreed to it. Volunteered, actually.” 

Axel found himself wishing for the first time to be in the same room as Even. Can’t punch the guy through the gummiphone screen. "I don't like it," he said with a scowl. 

"If memory serves, you were always the one clamoring to keep Sora alive. What changed?" 

Axel's grip on the gummiphone tightened. Of course he wanted to bring Sora back. But not at the cost of his best friends' lives. Not again. "How do we even know it's safe?" 

Even rolled his eyes. "We're only going to study their memories. It's hardly a procedure--they won't even be conscious." 

"And if they don't wake up?" His stomach churned at the possibility. 

"I have no reason to believe that will happen."

Axel closed his eyes, took a deep breath. If Roxas and Xion had really volunteered to do this, there would be no talking them out of it. "When is this all going down?" 

"Tomorrow morning." 

A frog made itself comfortable in Axel's throat. "This is all happening a little fast, don't you think?" If he could just have some more time with them--

"Time is of the essence. The longer Sora is missing, the lower our chances of retrieving him."

He couldn't listen to this anymore. "Fine," he said tersely before hanging up. He needed to talk to his friends. 

Axel took the steps up the clocktower two at a time, hoping to catch Roxas and Xion at the top. He was out of breath by the time he made it there. 

"Hey, Axel!" Xion greeted. 

Roxas grinned up at him. "Hey, I thought you weren't coming today." 

"Yeah, uh," Axel panted, then swallowed, "I had a change of plans." 

"I didn't grab any ice cream for you," Xion said apologetically. "You can have the rest of mine if you want it." 

"Or I could run down and grab one for you?" Roxas offered. 

Axel smiled wryly--his friends were so sweet--and shook his head. "Thanks guys, but I'm not hungry." 

They both tilted their heads like puppies. "Is something wrong?" Roxas asked. 

Axel sighed and sat down in his usual spot next to Roxas. He fixed them both with a knowing look--surely the two of them knew Axel wouldn't be okay with what they were planning. 

Xion cracked first. "Even called you." 

"Yeah. He did."

Roxas's eyes filled with concern. "It's gonna be fine, Axel." He set a gentle hand on top of Axel's. "We have to do this. For Sora."

Axel pursed his lips and nodded. "There's no way I can talk you out of it?" 

"Not a chance," Xion said with a determined smile. 

He chuckled despite himself. "I figured."

"You'll be there with us, right?" Roxas asked him softly. 

Axel gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Wouldn't miss it." 

-

Even, Ienzo, and Ansem the Wise arrived by gummiship early the following morning. Axel paced in front of the mansion gates as they landed. He really fucking hated this place, but most of the technology and equipment they would need was already there. 

Roxas was visibly uneasy, too. Axel couldn't blame him--some of his most traumatic memories would have taken place inside those doors. 

Ienzo greeted them jovially, the other two scientists not far behind. 

"I cannot overstate the importance of what you're doing for Sora," Master Ansem said with a warm smile. "You have our thanks." 

"We're just happy to be of any help," Xion said. 

"Of course." He turned and unlocked the mansion gates, and they all followed him inside. 

Even and Ienzo set up two reclining chairs, like what might be at a dentist's office, for Roxas and Xion to lie down on. 

"How long is this going to take?" Axel asked, growing more and more uneasy with every wire and tube Even hooked his friends up to. 

"It shouldn't be more than an hour or two," Ienzo said. "Regardless of how much progress we make today, we don't plan to stay here much later than that. We can't leave Kairi for too long." 

Xion perked up. "Leave Kairi?" she asked. "She's at the castle?" 

Ienzo frowned. "I see we neglected to tell you. She's been helping us as well."

"Helping how?" Roxas asked. 

"We're studying her dreams in order to--" 

"Her dreams?" Axel interrupted. If she couldn't be left attended… "Is she asleep right now?" 

Ienzo's brow pinched. "Well, yes--" 

"For how long?" 

"It's been some weeks," Even cut in. "But she's fine." 

There was a vice grip on Axel's heart. "Weeks?" 

"How long until she wakes up?" Xion asked, her face twisted with concern. 

"Until we have what we need," Even said, trying and failing to inject some warmth into his voice. 

Axel shook his head and turned to Roxas and Xion. "We're leaving. Right now." For all they knew, this was a ploy to get them in the lab and keep them unconscious for months on end, just like Kairi. 

Master Ansem stepped in. "That is not to say Kairi will never wake up. We have woken her several times already to update her on our progress. Peace, Axel." 

"Axel," Roxas murmured to him. "It's okay. We can trust them." 

Oh, Roxas. How could he be so sure, so optimistic after all they'd done to him? Axel closed his eyes and let a breath out his nose. He fixed Ansem with a fierce glare. "Promise me they wake up." 

Ansem nodded. "You have my word."

Even finished typing something into the computer. "Are you ready?" 

Roxas and Xion both nodded, determined. 

"See you soon, Axel," Xion said with a soft smile. 

He tried his best to return the smile. "See you guys." 

Roxas said nothing, but his eyes were soft and a little scared. Axel squeezed his shoulder. 

They were fast asleep within seconds. The silence that overcame the room made Axel's stomach drop, but he had to believe everything would be okay. 

Axel paced and paced and paced until Even snapped at him for being such a distraction, and Ienzo produced a chair for him to sit between Roxas and Xion. The minutes stretched on and on as he watched his friends' even breathing. Xion didn't so much as twitch, but Roxas's face would occasionally scrunch up as if he were having a nightmare. 

Axel smoothed Roxas's hair back from his forehead, which was quickly growing damp with sweat. Even assured him that this was normal, but Axel couldn't help but grow panicky. Since getting Roxas and Xion back, he'd been a bit… protective. Particularly over Roxas. He chalked it up to the fact that Xion had been absent from his memories for so long, but his feelings for Roxas were just different.

"I believe that's enough for today," Ienzo said, interrupting Axel's train of thought. "Let's wake them up." 

Relief bubbled up Axel's chest, but he tried not to let the feeling take over until he saw them awake and healthy. 

Xion's eyes fluttered open and she mumbled something unintelligible. 

Axel grinned down at her. "Hey, Xion." 

She rubbed her eyes and sat up. "That was fast." Axel almost snorted--it certainly hadn't felt fast on his end. Xion peeked over Axel's shoulder and frowned. "So, when does Roxas wake up?" 

Ienzo checked the computer's monitor and clicked his tongue. "Vitals are normal. He should have woken up by now." 

Black spots overcame Axel's vision. All the worst possibilities played over in his mind at the same time. What if he never woke up? What if he died here in this mansion? 

"Roxas," he managed to croak, his voice hoarse with worry, "can you hear me?" He took Roxas's hand and squeezed. He was distantly aware of Xion standing next to him, her hands clasped over her chest as if in prayer. 

"What do we do?" she asked, shaken. 

Even shook his head. "All we can do is wait."

Axel felt himself begin to tremble with anger. "You said he would wake up!" 

"I assure you he will," Ansem the Wise said placatingly. "He--" 

"How can you know that?" Axel demanded. "Do something!" 

"Will you be quiet!" Even hissed. "All your shouting will only serve to distress the boy."

He was probably right, loathe as Axel was to admit it. He took a deep, shuddering breath and tried to calm down. 

That uncomfortable expression flashed across Roxas's features again. What was he dreaming about, Axel wondered. He hoped it wasn't anything too bad. He didn't deserve to be tortured with guilt or trauma so often. "C'mon buddy," Axel whispered. "Please, if--" 

Suddenly, Roxas gasped and lurched forward, eyes wide open and flitting about the room in panic. 

"Roxas!" Axel and Xion both exclaimed in relief. Without thinking, Axel threw his arms around Roxas in a tight embrace. A couple seconds passed--he was probably confused as to why he was being tackled so soon after waking up--but he hugged Axel back with tired enthusiasm. 

"Morning," Roxas mumbled. 

Xion giggled. "You two are both the laziest of bums," she chided, but she added herself to the embrace. 

Even carefully removed the rest of the tubes and wires. "Soon you'll learn to trust the science," he said, mostly to Axel. 

Axel rolled his eyes. "Whatever. We're going home now." 

Ienzo scribbled something on a clipboard and cleared his throat. "So. Same time next week?" 

Roxas and Xion each gave him a thumbs up, and Axel blanched. He was going to have to start checking the mirror for gray hairs. 

-

It was evening by the time they got home, but the sky remained the same soft orange color as always. Xion had turned in early for the night, but Axel stayed up with Roxas on the couch. "You okay?" Axel asked him. 

"You don't have to keep asking me that, Axel. I'm fine." 

He raised his hands. "I know, I know. You just worried me."

Roxas picked at his fingernails. "I worry you a lot, these days." 

Axel sighed. "I guess I've been pretty overbearing." 

"Well." Roxas gave him a little smile. "Maybe a little. But it's kinda sweet." 

"Oh, you know me. I'm a total sweetie-pie. Just ask Even." 

Roxas laughed out loud and punched him on the arm. "Shut up." 

A few moments of comfortable silence passed between them before Axel frowned. "You're really gonna do that again?" 

Roxas's blue eyes bore into his. "Wouldn't you?" 

He honestly didn't know. He'd do it for Roxas in a heartbeat. But he doesn't want to worry about anyone else anymore. He has his best friends back, and he wishes he could just leave it at that. "I just don't want you to--" 

"I know, Axel." He reached over and took Axel's hand in his own--the second time he’d done that today. His cheeks began to feel warm.

Axel cleared his throat. “Earlier today, when you wouldn’t wake up… I thought--”

“I know,” Roxas said again. His eyes were shining. “I know you don’t want to lose me again. I don’t want to lose you either.” Roxas moved in closer, their thighs just barely touching. “I kept dreaming about you. Your sacrifice.”  
Tears began to fall from his eyes, and Axel reached out to brush them away. “It looked like you might have been having nightmares,” he said helplessly. 

Roxas sniffled. “I see it almost every night. So, I get how you feel.”

Axel bit his lip and squeezed Roxas’s. “I’m sorry.”

“Once we get Sora back, and this is all over, we’ll never have to worry about losing each other again, okay?”

All at once, Axel was overcome with emotion--he loved Roxas so much. He hoped with every fiber of his being that Roxas was right. He stared into his eyes, unable to voice his feelings and then--Roxas leaned in and kissed him so, so softly. It was a gentle, shy thing. A perfect first kiss. 

Axel curled his free hand around the back of Roxas’s neck and carefully kissed him back before pulling away. “Dare I ask where you learned that?” he joked. 

Roxas snorted. “I’m kind of trying to have a moment with you here.”

Hey, he’d take it. “Fair enough,” he murmured, closing the distance between them once more.


End file.
